The Jenkins Pre-doctoral Fellowship Project, or JPFP, seeks to increase the number of graduate degrees awarded to underrepresented persons (women, minorities and persons with disabilities) in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines. The ultimate goal is to increase the U.S. talent pool by developing a more inclusive, multicultural and sustainable STEM workforce.

The JPFP provides up to three years of support and includes a Mentor-Protégé Initiative, Fellows Orientation, a Technical Exchange Symposium and the competitive Mini Research Award Program. The latter project provides six weeks of hands-on research experience at a NASA center or the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Up to 20 fellows are selected annually. With stipends, travel allowances and tuition offsets included, JPFP award packages currently start at $24,500 per year.